Italy’s plan to process migrants in Albania has been dealt a significant blow by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The court ruled that the current definition of “safe country” for returning asylum seekers contravenes EU law. This means Italy will have to revise its procedure, which currently identifies countries like Egypt and Bangladesh as safe while acknowledging that certain groups within those countries require protection.
The ECJ’s decision also requires the Italian government to make public any evidence used to determine a country’s safety, allowing asylum seekers to challenge decisions in their cases. ActionAid Italy’s Katia Scannavini stated that the ruling “makes clear that a country cannot be designated as safe unless it offers effective, generalised protection for everyone and everywhere.”
The fate of Italy’s Albania project is now uncertain, with other governments watching closely to see how this affects their own offshore migration policies. The deal was meant to be part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s tough approach to immigration but has faced legal obstacles from the start.
The EU’s migration pact, set to enter into force next year, will introduce a common list of safe countries for returns, including Egypt and Bangladesh. However, the court’s decision emphasizes that the definition of “safe country” ultimately lies with judges, not politicians, and that every judge in Italy now has a duty to apply EU law.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8z3847exzo